


Love Like Redwoods

by ambiguous_sanskars



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Immortal Husbands Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, Kissing, M/M, Nicky doing a cheesy pickup line in their living room and Joe getting flustered, Softness, because even after 900 years these two can't stop, no seriously this is just gratuitous fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:35:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29105682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ambiguous_sanskars/pseuds/ambiguous_sanskars
Summary: Joe: So, how’s the prettiest person in the world doing?Nicky, not looking up from his book: I don’t know. How are you?Joe: *voice cracking* I’m fine.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Comments: 34
Kudos: 282





	Love Like Redwoods

**Author's Note:**

> Saw this post on tumblr and it wouldn't leave me alone: https://antukini.tumblr.com/post/641495022222589952

Joe half-skipped down the stairs, humming contentedly to himself. He’d woken up thinking it was a lovely morning to go shopping for paintbrushes, and that was precisely what he intended to do. 

Joe totally meant to go to the kitchen to grab some coffee. However, the moment they hit the landing, his feet decided to skip over to where Nicky was curled up in an armchair, nose deep in some archaic leather-bound book.

Joe put his hands on the armrest and bent down to sweetly kiss his husband’s cheek. “So, how’s the prettiest person in the world doing?”

Nicky didn’t even look up from his book. “I don’t know, love, how are you?”

And apparently that was all it took for Yusuf Al-Kaysani, a 931-year-old immortal warrior, to blush to the tips of his ears like a lovesick teenager. He melted to his knees in front of the armchair and hid his face in Nicky’s lap.

“I’m fine,” he stammered, voice cracking a bit. Nicky had the gall to laugh, putting the book aside and burying his hands in Joe’s hair. He bent down to kiss the crown of Joe’s head.

“Joe, _hayati_ , come up here,” Nicky prodded, gently pulling Joe up into his lap. Joe looped his arms around Nicky’s neck as they kissed, soft and warm and safe.

As they separated, Joe blinked besottedly at Nicky’s bright grin. He felt his own lips curl up in a decidedly soppy smile.

“Sorry I interrupted your reading,” he mumbled, leaning in to lay another kiss on Nicky’s nose.

“Don’t be,” Nicky reassured him. “The poems are sweet, no doubt, but the poet is infinitely sweeter.”

Joe took a second to parse his words, then snapped his gaze to the book resting on the lamp stand next to Nicky. Sure enough, it was a bound copy of the poetry he’d written the first time he and Nicky had visited the redwoods. The Californian forests had offered unlimited inspiration. Joe remembered the humbling presence of towering giants older than themselves, the unspeakable thrill he’d felt as he rested one palm on the trunk of a 1,000-year-old tree and felt Nicky’s grip on his other.

“ _An eternity caught between eternities_ ,” Nicky quoted, effortlessly reading Joe’s mind. “ _And suddenly, in my heart, time ceases to exist. He is mine, and I am his, above the soil today, and beneath it tomorrow_.”

“I didn’t know you still kept this,” Joe said, nuzzling close into Nicky’s neck.

“I keep all of your work,” Nicky declared like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “This one was stashed in the Venice safehouse. I brought it here to reread while we’re on holiday.”

“Mmm.”

Nicky stroked a hand down Joe’s back, tugging inquiringly at his jacket. “Going somewhere?”

Joe picked his head up. “Yes! I almost forgot. I’m going to buy paintbrushes.” He clambered off Nicky’s lap and searched around for his keys. “I can’t believe you distracted me with cuddles. You always do this, _amore_.”

Nicky barked out a laugh. “I would gladly take credit if that were true. Unfortunately, you started it.”

Joe winked cheerily as he headed for the door. “Can neither confirm nor deny. I’ll be back in an hour. _Ti amo_.”

“Love you, too, _hayati_. See you soon.”

**Author's Note:**

> Yay! Now that this is out of my head, hopefully my brain will let me sleep~
> 
> Comments and kudos appreciated as always! (but no pressure obviously <3)


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